The Fiji government has threatened to use legal notices to stop people abusing water during the current drought.
The Daily Post reports that the minister for works, Savenaca Draunidalo has told parliament this would be done by imposing restriction orders and gazetting legal notices.
This could result in cutting off supplies to people wasting, abusing or contaminating water.
Col Draunidalo says the commissioner of water supply may take such action if the yield from water sources continues to decline.
He says the Suva-Nausori region, which is home to a quarter of Fiji's population, is seriously affected as are Labasa, Taveuni and parts of western Viti Levu.
Meanwhile, hundreds of public servants working for several departments in Lautoka had to be sent home yesterday because there was no water supply in the buildings in which they were housed.
